Light-screen for bedsteads.



J. B. BEATTY.

LIGHT SCREEN FOR BEDSTEADS. APPLICATION FILED OOT. 19.1910.

984,342, Patented Feb. 14, 191 1.

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JEAN BURLINGAME BEATTY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIGHT-SCREEN FOR BEDSTEADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed 0ctober'19, 1910.

j atente l Feb. 14, 1911.

Serial No. 587,839.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN Bunnmoann Bna'r'ry, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Light-Screens forBedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an adjustable shade, or light screen, as a newarticle of manufacture, to be applied to the heads of bed-steads andadapted easily to be swung down in front of the sleepers face tointercept direct light or to be swung up out of the way in the day timeand at other times when not in use. The details of construction of mydevice are also important.

As is well understood most people are easily wakened by the direct raysof light shining into the face as from a window, electric light, etc.,whereas, if facing in the other direction away from the light, the factthat the room is rather brightly lighted is not objectionable. But, ashouses are commonly built, it is generally difficult, if not impossible,to arrange the bed so as not to face the light, and therefore blinds.shades, screens etc. are commonly interposed to cut off such directlight; these are not only cun'ibersome and expensive, but have the greatdisadwlntage of interfering with the access of fresh air. This objectionis so great, that the blinds and shades are commonly left open at night,making it necessary for the sleeper to rise and close them when awakenedby the early morning light, which effort is not only unpleasant in coldweather, but commonly results in such complete awakening that furthersleep is impossible and valuable hours of sleep are lost.

The object I have in view is to produce a shade for the purposeindicated, which, first, shall effectually shield the face of thesleeper from the direct light without in the least interfering with theaccess of fresh air; second, the shade must be so arranged that it canbe swung easily into and out of position even after the occupant hasgone to bed, so that if desirable it can remain in elevated position asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, during the night, but. when thesleeper is a akened early he can, while only half awake, reach up almostinstinc tively and pull down the shade into the operative position shownin full lines; third, the shade must be light in weight so as to beadjusted up and down easily, and then to remain in the adjustedposition; fourth, the shade must be economical to manufacture and of aconstruction convenient to be applied to bed-steads.

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawing herewith inwhich the reference numerals of the description indicatc thecm'responding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is an isometric view showing my shade applied to an ordinaryform of bedstead. Fig. 2 illustrates how a shade of desirable form maybe folded compactly for transportation. Fig. 3 is a portion of Fig. 1enlarged, better to illustrate the construction. To illustratemodifications in form. I have. shown in Fig. 1 one desirable modifiedfrom of screen.

in the figures 1 1 indicates the head posts of the common form of brass,or iron, bedstead, to which are fitted the clamps Q 2 to be secured atany desirable height on the posts by suitable means such as thumbscrews3 3. Tn the ends of the clamps are pivoted, preferably on a second pairof thmnlrscrews 4f 4, the end-pieces 5 5 of the side arms. This screenproper may be desirably constructed of a light frame-work of wood.ratan, wire etc. covered with any suitable oqaque or practically opaquematerial,

such as dark green baize, and preferably consists as shown of theface-plate 7 carried on the side-arms 8 S. which are secured by rivetsor other suitable means to the endpicees 5 The end pieces may beof'light pressed or cast metal or hard rubber or other suitablematerial.

The 't'ace-platc may be wider or narrower as desired. completely to cutoff the light in the position desired. and, for the sake of convenience.there may be pivoted thereto on pivots 10 10 the supplementary flap 11for the obvious purpose of increasing the width of the 'faceilate. Tnthe face-plate, the supplementary flap and side-arms, the frame workmade of light wooden strips or rods or of other suitable n'iatcrial isindica ted by l3 l3.

l have here indicated the side-arms formed of a light frame work coveredwith opaque material, but such material may be omitted and the side armsotherwise modified in form as generally it will not be necessary toconstruct them so as to intercept light. As better indicated in theenlarged figures, the side-arms are each preferably secured to theface-plate by the pivots 14 14 on each side, so that, for purposes ofpacking and trans portation as in the shop etc., the side-arms may befolded down within the frame of the face-plate as shown in Fig. 2, andthe supplementary flap then folded over producing a long but a thin,narrowand compact pack age. Evidently the faceplate might be a simplesheet of any suitable material. secured to the side arms in any suitableway.

My shade may be more or less varied in material, construction andarrangement without departing from the spirit of my invention and may besecured to the bed-stead by any other similar means. Evidently in caseof a wooden bed-stead the clamps must be somewhat varied in form.

As indicated in the desired form of my dc vice here illustrated, itwould be more conveuient to use two sets of thumb-screws or set-screws,the pair 3 3 being adapted to fix the clamp securely on the posts, whilethe pair l 4- may be tightened suificiently to maintain the shade (ofthe lightest possible weight) in any position in which it may beadjusted by the hand, and yet not tightened so much as to interfere withan easy adjustment.

While the application of my screen is practically universal, yet it maybe mentioned that it has special utility in hospitals.

Having described my invention, I claim,

1. An adjustable light screen for bedsteads, consisting essentially ofside-arms and a light intercepting face-plate on the rear ends of thearms, and of means to clamp the front ends of the arms to the head ofthe bed-stead with a light but suflicient pressure, permitting the plateand side-arms to be swung up and down and maintained in adjustedposition.

2. In an adjustable light screen for bedsteads, the combination withside-arms, of means pivotally to secure the side armsby their front endsto a bedstead and a light intercepting face-plate secured to the otherends of the arms.

8. In an adjustable light screen for bed.- steads, the combination withsuitable clamps to be secured to the bed-stead, one on each side, ofside-arms pivotally secured by their front ends to the clamps, so as tobe maintained in adjustable position, and rearwardly extending therefromtoward the foot of the bed-stead and a lightintercepting face-platesecured to the rear ends of the side arms.

4:. In an adjustable light screen for bedsteads the combination withclamps fitted to grip the head posts of bed-steads, one 011 each side,of thumb-screws fitted to said clamps to fix them firmly in position, asec ond pair of thumb-screws fitted to the rear ends of said clamps,side-arms pivotally secured to said clamps by the second thumbscrews, sothat the side-arms may be ad justed up and down and maintained inadjusted position with a sufiicient but yielding pressure, side armsfixed in said end pieces and rearwardly extending practically paralleland a light intercepting face-plate practically vertically arranged andconnected to the rear ends of the side arms by pivotal connections.

5. In an adjustable light screen for bedsteads the combination withclamps fitted to grip the head posts of bed-steads, one on each side,side-arms connected to the clamps so that they will be maintained inadjusted position (higher or lower) with a sufficient but yieldingpressure, said side-arms rearwardly extending practically parallel, anda faceplate practically vertically arranged and connected to the rearends of the side arms by pivotal connections, said face-plate beingformed of a frame work of light material, such as steel wire, covered byany suitable opaque material.

6. In an adjustable light screen for bedsteads the combination withclamps fitted to grip the head posts of bedsteads, one on each side, ofthumb-screws fitted to said clamps to fix them firmly in position,endpieces, means pivotally to connect the endpieces to the clamps sothat the end-pieces and their attached parts will be secured in adjustedposition with a sufiicient but yielding pressure, side-arms fixed insaid endpieces and rearwardly extending practically parallel, aface-plate practically vertically arranged and connected to the rearends of the side arms by pivotal connections, and a supplementary flaphinged to the upper portion of the face-plate, said faceplate and fiapbeing formed each of a frame work of light steel wire, covered by anysuitable opaque cloth, substantially as described and shown.

7. In an adjustable light screen for bedsteads the combination withclamps fitted to grip the head-posts of bed-steads, one on each side, ofthumb-screws fitted to said clamps to fix them firmly in position, asecond pair of thumb-screws fitted to the rear ends of said clamps,metallic end pieces supported on the clamps by the second thumbscrews,so that the end pieces and their attached parts will be secured inadjusted position with a suflicient but yielding pressure, side armsfixed in said end pieces and rearwardly extending practically parallel,a faceplate practically vertically arranged and connected to the rearends of the side arms by pivotal connections, and a supplementary flappractically equal in length to the :t'ace- In testimony whereof I havesigned my plate and hinged to the upperportion therename to thisspecification in the presence of of, said face-plate and flap beingformed two subscribing witnesses.

each of a frame Work of light material, such JEAN BURLINGAB'IE BEATTY.as steel Wire, covered by any suitable opaque \Vitnesses: cloth ormaterial, substantially as described J. R. MILLWARI),

and shown. ALLAN \V. FOOSI'I.

